Body found at Davie warehouse fire scene

Firefighters arriving at the scene of a warehouse blaze in Davie found a dead man sprawled on the ground in front of the flames Wednesday morning, officials said.

Fire-rescue workers received a call at about 7:30 a.m. reporting a fire at the Davie Commerce Center, a complex housing several offices and storage bays on Southwest 70th Avenue, according to city spokesman Braulio Rosa.

The man's body was laying right next to the burning bay's door when rescuers arrived.

Investigators said they are trying to determine who the man is and if his death was related to the fire.

Preliminary investigations show the fire may have started in the back of the building, causing minor damage to the structure, authorities said.

The bay has been leased to a business called Classic Standard Reproduction since 1992, according to the center's office manager.

Neighboring business owners said the shop specialized in restoring emblems for older cars.

"Those guys always love to get an early start at work," said Dave McDaniel, an employee at Muffler Headquarters, a business located in a bay close to the fire. "Real nice people, shame to have something like that happen to them."

Authorities covered the body with a red tarp as they investigated the space's slightly blackened walls.

Officials from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration will also investigate the incident, according to area director Darlene Fossum.

The man's identity and cause of death were not immediately released.

Joel Marino can be reached at jmarino@sun-sentinel.com or 954-356-4844.